Succubus
by Meralie
Summary: RE-CONTINUED. Jasper Whitlock was never very self-preserving person. He might've gotten himself into a little more than he can handle... Human/Vampire, J/A & E/B, M for violence, swearing, and future sex.
1. C'mon Get Down With The Sickness,,

**Kay, so I'm kinda on a roll. Hopefully that roll will last the length of this story and I won't have to keep you waiting uber long for updates.  
This story came from the idea that all the vampire/human stories were always where Jasper was a vampire and Alice was the poor defenceless human. Yeah, well, not anymore :). The Cullens will be in this story as will Bella, but it's mostly J/A centered.  
Please review, only my third story :)**

**love Nataly**

**_Get up, come on get down with the sickness  
You fucker, get up! Come on get down with the sickness  
_****_Madness is the gift that has been given to me_**

**_Get Down With The Sickness - Disturbed_**

Jasper Whitlock watched the clock tick the final seconds of Math - the last class of the day - away. He held his pencil in both hands, taking out his tension on the poor thing. He looked around at his classmates, most of which were staring at him in awe. The brunette with the big brown eyes on his left looked anxious, the black-haired girl to the right of him looked...aroused, and Daryl, the black guy with the sick dreads was in front of him, his seat twisted around, a wide grin on his face as he gave Jasper a thumbs up. Jasper gave him a flash of a smile back.

And then the bell rang, and the pencil in his hands gave a squeak of protest as it snapped in two. But Jasper was out of the classroom before the pieces hit the floor.

"Yo, Jazz-man!"

Jasper whirled around to see Daryl behind him, his dreads bouncing behind him as he ran to catch up. He slowed his pace.

"Where'd Brent say to meet him?"

Ahh yes. Of course, no one good stop reminding him of it.

"He said to meet me in the forest, out behind the park," Jasper replied.

"You guys seriously gonna fight? Brent's from The Collegiate man, he's tough! Jasper, man, you got to be careful!"

"I can hold my own, Daryl."

"Yeah, against him, sure! Everyone knows you're the best fighter here! But do you seriously think Brent's gonna fight fair?"

Jasper stopped, reaching his locker.. "Look, Daryl. I've been in fights before. Unless you have something to share that I _don't_ already know, I really need to go."

"Okay, man," Daryl lowered his voice to a whisper. "I shouldn't be telling you this..." he saw Jasper start to make a snarky remark. "No, no man, I said I _shouldn't _be telling you this, not that I won't! Now just listen...I heard Chester - you know, Bret's "croonie" or whatever - say in second period English that Brent told him 'bout the fight."

Jasper laughed. "Is there anyone that hasn't heard about the fight?"

"Yeah, but man...from the way he was talking, he sounded like he was gonna fight too!"

"Are we talking about the same Chester here? Like, what, 4-foot? Glasses? Cried when the teacher gave him a D?"

"What I'm saying, man, is that if Brent asked _Chester_ to fight, then he probably asked _other_ people to fight too! He's gonna gang-beat you or something!"

Jasper's smile fell off his face. "Do you think I don't know that, Daryl? But seriously...this is _my_ fight...who'd want to come get there ass kicked with me?"

Daryl's worried expression vanished as he smiled so wide it looked painful. "That's what I'm trying to _say_, Jazz! _I_'ll fight wit chu!

Jasper whitened. "No."

"Aww, why not, man!"

"I'm not letting you get the shit beat out of you for me. No sense in having Brent have a grudge against you too."

"Aww, Jazz-man! That's lame!" Daryl complained.

Jasper slammed his locker shut. "Come on man, I need to go."

Jasper walked outside to the courtyard, grimacing as a gaggle of people rushed up to meet him.

"Oh, Jasper, you're _so_ brave!"

"You're the bomb, Jazz-man!"

"Beat the shit outta him for us!"

"Good luck, Jazzy!"

"Good luck kiss, Jasper?"

"No, Selina, he's _mine_!"

"Everybody!" Jasper shouted as he climbed on top of a bicycle rack for attention. Everyone silented immediately. "I am going to be show Brent who he's messing with." Cheering. "I'll tell him you all said 'Hi'" Laughing. "If I don't make it back, it was nice knowing you. Well, most of you." Nervous laughter. "Let's get things settled, though. Daryl, man, you can have my guitar and my Bob Marley poster, kay? Now, I seriously need to go!" Jasper jumped down from the table.

Daryl laughed. "Thanks, man!" He turned to the audience. "Three cheers for Jasper! Hip, Hip - "

"Hooray!"

"Hip, Hip -"

"Hooray!"

"Hip, Hip -"

"Children! No loitering on school property! Off with you!"

"Aww, Mr. Loughweed, man, we was just having fun!" Daryl whined.

"You can do it 10 metres away, can't you?"

There was a general mumble of complaint as everyone left.

Darly patted Jasper on the shoulder. "Good luck, man. Nice knowing you."

Jasper grinned. "Nice knowing you, too, Daryl."

Jasper sighed as he turned the other way.

"Jasper?"

Jasper turned to see the brunette that was in his math class.

"I just - well, be careful, okay?"

Jasper gave a laugh, trying to reassure the girl. "I'll be fine, uh - "

"Bella. Isabella Swan."

Jasper gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I'm not real good with names."

"It's okay. I know I'm not the type you'd usually hang out with."

"No, it's not that - "

"Look. Jasper. I just, I have a bad feeling about this."

"Can you keep a secret, Bella?"

Bella nodded.

"I don't have a very good feeling about this either."

"Oh! Well then, don't go!"

"It's not that simple. I need to go. I won't give him the satisfaction of not showing up."

"But that's not fair! You can't give your life for the fear of being called a coward!"

"He's not going to _kill_ me, Bella."

Bella's face changed, from worry to fear, as she backtracked. "No, no, of course not! I mean, I was just...be careful Jasper!"

"I'll try."

*************************

The girl sat in the clearing, her eyes closed, her brow furrowed. She probably looked peaceful, with her legs crossed as she deeply breathed in and out.

Truthfully, she was scared to death.

She hoped that Bella had told the blonde boy not to come, and that he would be out of danger.

A little part of her hoped that he didn't listen, so that he would still come by this way and talk to her.

She could have just looked in to the future, to see whether he'd listened to Bella or not.

But she was trying not to see anything. You see, it's very unnerving when you keep seeing someone getting stabbed to death.

Her eyes snapped open as she heard footsteps approaching.

The boy poked his head out, looking around anxiously. He relaxed a little as he spotted her, but his stance was still tense. "Oh, hello."

"Hi."

"Ummm," the boy looked around, obviously wondering why this girl was sitting in the middle of a clearing all by herself.

"I'm Alice."

"Oh, hey. Urm, look, I've kinda got to go..."

"Where?"

He looked taken a back, cocking his head as he frowned at her. "Nowhere..."

"Then you'd stay here with me," she said, cocking her head to match his, looking at him with a blank expression.

"Umm, well, I -" he sighed. "I'm going to a fight."

"Oh," the girl said, but she didn't look surprised. "Can I come?"

His frown grew. "It's no place for a lady."

She laughed delicately. "I'm not a lady. I'm a girl."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Either way. It's not safe."

"Then why are you going?"

He sighed deeper this time, and took a few steps towards her. She got up and walked up to him. He noticed for the first time how small she was, and shuddered at the thought of her being even a football field away from Brent. "Because I'm in the fight."

"Even more of a reason to stay here."

"I know how to fight. I'll be fine."

The girl's face was no longer calm. She took a step towards him, and he felt a strange urge to step back. _Silly_, he thought. _She's just a girl._ She leaned her face up towards at him, and he realized how beautiful her face was. Her eyes were dark, her face pale, and her black hair falling in locks around her face, just below her ears. Her dark eyebrows stuck up in worry and she stared intensely at him. "Jasper. It's not safe. Please, don't go. Don't get hurt. Stay here. With me."

He wanted to stay with her. He wanted to sit in this meadow with her, to bail out of the fight. _Silly,_ he thought again. _I've just met her._ "Don't worry, Alice. I'll be fine," he said, looking down earnestly at her. Her face was so close to his, her lips...

She frowned at him and stepped back. "I suppose you're right. Be careful, Jasper."

It was the second person who'd tried to talk him out of fighting. Girls. They were always so worried! "I will. I'll, umm, I'll see you around, I guess?"

She looked uncertain for a moment. "Umm, I suppose. Maybe. I'm only here for a little while, though."

"Oh, well, okay. I guess that's hard then," he turned away. "Look, maybe we could go out for some ice cream or something? I don't really know, I mean, you could not like ice cream or something...and that's fine! I mean..." he trailed off.

Her face softened, and for the first time she really smiled. It struck him again how beautiful she was. "I'd love to."

"Great! Well, I'd better go. Monday, maybe? 5?"

"Sure."

"I'd better go..."

Her face hardened back into a frown. "Yeah. You'd better."

"Bye, Alice."

"Goodbye, Jasper."

He left, thinking about how beautiful his name sounded on her lips, and how he'd love to hear her moan it...

And then he realized something. He never told her his name.

**Sorry for any mistakes, I didn't have Word on this computer, only Notepad, so yeah... :P**

**Next chapter will be the fight, and I'll try to have it up soon (like, before next weekend?)**

**review :)**


	2. Blame It On Bad Luck

**Kay, so I wasn't going to post this until next week, but it's my birthday wednesday and I know that I won't have time to do anything else next weekend or anything so here :)  
Thanks for all the feedback and people who added me to their Story Alerts and whatever, you make me feel loved :)  
Review for my brithday, and maybe I'll try to write more sooner!**

_**Pound my knuckles hard against the floor  
My head against the wall  
But I did this to myself  
Assume it's just not worth getting back up  
So I'll blame it on bad luck  
And I'll shake responsibility  
And say how hard life did this to me**_

Blame It On Bad Luck - Bayside

Alice waited until the boy was out of sight to follow him.

_He was very cute_, she mused. _Even better in person. _

Still, though. She didn't know what had come over her. Why had she agreed to go out for ice cream with him?

She knew why. She just didn't want to accept it.

She wanted him. Bad.

And when he had lent into her like that, it had been...unbearable. She had seen his eyes widen as he took in her beauty, she had noticed the way he had breathed her in...to know that he wanted her just as bad as she wanted him made it even harder to stay away.

Because she knew, as he had parted his lips slightly and his eyelids fluttered, that he wanted her. Even if he hadn't registered the fact yet, she knew he did.

She lifted her hand up to her head, trying to focus. She breathed in deeply, trying to follow his scent, and she felt her knees grow week as she found it.

_It should be illegal to smell that good._

She followed the trail quietly, listening hard for him.

"...that you decided to make it, Whitlock."

"Did you think that I'd bail out?"

There was a smirk in the voice. "Yes."

"Are you frightened that I didn't?"

All humour in the voice disappeared. There was definite malice now. "No."

"Then let's get this over with, Brent."

"Let's."

"Would you like first hit?"

"I'll manage fine without it."

"Humour me."

_THWACK_

"That was a tree, Brent. I'm right here."

The voice growled. "You shut your fucking mouth, Whitlock."

Alice knew she was close. Running, she would make it there in 10 seconds, tops. But she couldn't give herself away; not just yet. There were too many variables, not enough certainty. She closed her eyes, willing a vision to come to her. She needed to see what was happening, the sound of blows unable to tell her who was winning.

_A tall, sturdy boy with chestnut hair stumbled, panting, away from Jasper. There was blood running down his face. Behind him were 2 big burly kids, one with long black hair and the other with short blonde hair, and a skinny kid with sandy hair and glasses who looked like he was about to shit his pants._

_Jasper stood facing the first boy, and he was barely breathing hard. His blonde locks were plastered to his face with sweat, and were hanging in his face. He didn't seem to be badly harmed; only his hand had blood on it, and it could have been his opponent's._

_"You're better than I expected, Whitlock."_

_"Stalling, Brent?"_

_Brent growled. "Only giving you a break."_

_"I don't think so," Jasper took a step forward. "I think you're all worn out." He took another step forward. "Should I just finish this right now?"_

_Brent took a step to match his. "I'd like to see you try."_

_WHAM!  
_

_Jasper's left fist hit the kid's face, just as the other came around to his chest. The kid stumbled back, surprised, as Jasper brought his left up again for an uppercut. The kid fell on his back to the ground. He tried to pick him self back up, but Jasper placed his foot on his chest. "Going somewhere?"_

_Just then Jasper was thrown back. Two of the three kids that had been watching the fight circled him, pushing him backwards until he hit a tree._

_"I don't think that you know who you're messing with, Whitlock," the black-haired one said._

_The blonde one punched Jasper in the face. "Maybe you oughta pick on people you're own size, Whitlock."_

_Jasper brought his knee up to the blonde one's stomach. He doubled over with an audible "OOUF!". Then Jasper brought his right hand back and punched the black-haired one right in the nose. He turned to the kid with the glasses. "Maybe you'd better head home, Chester. This isn't the place for you."_

_The kid with the glasses stood frozen, looking terrified that Jasper had singled him out. He nodded slowly, and then bolted._

_The blonde one pulled Jasper's shoulder back and punched him in the face, while the black-haired one grabbed his arm and pushed him against a tree. Jasper's nose started to bleed._

_"Wanna try that again, Whitlock?"_

_Brent had gotten back up, and was heading towards Jasper. The other two had him pinned to a tree._

_"Actually, yeah. I would," Jasper said, as he brought his leg up to kick Brent in the stomach. He watched as Brent wheezed, doubled over, with cold satisfaction. "Oh yeah...and everyone from Pine Street High says 'Hi'."_

_Brent stopped wheezing and looked up at Jasper with a hateful glare. "You just don't know when to fucking stop, do you Whitlock?_

_Brent straightened up, pulled something from his belt, raised his arm up and brought it crashing down on to Jasper. Jasper's eyes widened as Brent pulled his arm out and brought it up again, and now something could be seen glinting in the sun, something covered in blood._

_Brent's arm came down 5, 6, 7 more times, before he dropped the knife and ran._

_"Fuck, Brent, I think you really hurt him," The blonde one shouted after him, glancing down at the bleeding kid in his arms._

_"No shit, Sherlock!" The black-haired one said. Jasper's eyes fluttered as his shirt grew more and more red. The two boys lowered him to the ground._

_"Fuck," the blonde one repeated. "Shit. Let's get out of here."_

_"But he'll die!" the black-haired one said._

_"He's going to die anyways!" The blonde one shouted._

_The boys stared at eachother as they realized this._

_"Fuck," the black-haired one agreed._

_They ran._

Alice snapped her head up and gasped. She listened harder now.

"Oh yeah...and everyone from Pine Street High says 'Hi'."

_Fuck._

She ran, and the speed of it blocked out the response as she dashed on to the scene.

Jasper saw her first. "Alice?"

Brent whirled, knife raised. "What the - "

"Jasper, watch out, he's got a knife!"

"What?!"

Brent turned back to Jasper as Jasper looked up to the other boy's hand. "Oh, shit!"

The knife swished down as Jasper dodged away. He inhaled quickly as the knife slashed his shirt.

_Did he get him? _Alice thought, _Is he hurt? Is he bleeding?_

Jasper twisted out of the grasp of the other two men and ran to get to Alice. Brent grabbed his arm and stopped him. His murderous glare transformed in to a semi-amused smirk. "Well, well, well," he said. "So little Jasper has a girlfriend."

"Run, Alice!" Jasper shouted at Alice.

"I don't think so," Brent sneered. He jerked his head over at Alice. "Maybe you'd better get a hold on her, Karl, Alex," he said.

The two boys; Karl and Alex, grabbed Alice's either arm.

"Umm, _excuse_ me?" she asked acidly, shrugging them off.

"Leave her out of this, Brent. I don't even know her. I just met her on the way here."

"I don't think so, Whitlock. Not from the way you look at her."

Alice's heart - however dead it was - soared.

"I think she'd make an excellent _prize_, don't you? Karl, get over here and hold Whitlock back, will you?"

The blonde one took a hold of Jasper, pushing him back towards the tree.

Brent walked towards Alice menacingly. She raised her chin and kept her ground.

"Would you look at that! The girl's got more balls than Whitlock, doesn't she?" he leaned towards her and stroked her face before tipping her chin up to meet his face. "Hey, beautiful..."

Jasper shouted "Don't you fucking touch her!" just as Alice's fist connected with Brent's jaw.

Jasper gaped at Alice. She looked at him, exasperated. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

"Now, wait just a minute, missy -" the black-haired one - Alex - started. Alice grabbed his hair and pulled his face down to hers.

"No, you listen. You were about to watch my friend get killed here, okay? So you just leave us the fuck alone," she growled. She pushed his head away from her and kicked his chest, making him fall backwards and knock into Brent, causing them both to fall down.

Jasper turned to Karl, who was just as stunned as he was. "Sorry, bud," he said before clogging him in the nose.

Brent got up to his feet. "You're going to pay, Whitlock. So's your little girlfriend there. Maybe I'll have to teach her a lesson..." he grinned. "Maybe I'll have to make you watch."

Jasper didn't even notice Alex before the man was grabbing Jasper's arms; keeping them behind his back. Brent punched Jasper in the face, causing his nose to start bleeding again. He held up his knife.

Jasper glanced frantically at Alice. "Run, Alice!"

Alice looked back at him incredulously, before rolling her eyes. "Oh, for the love of God..." she muttered before marching up behind Brent, tapping his shoulder, watching him whirl around in surprise, and punching him in the face. She grabbed Jasper by the hand and dragged him along behind her. "Come _on_, Jasper, let's _go_!" she stressed, glancing behind her at the livid Brent.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I can't run that fast!" he yelled.

"Oh, Jesus..." she said, before closing her eyes and stopping walking all together. She snapped her eyes back open and met Jasper's eyes before tackling him to the ground.

"OW! Jesus fuck! What was that for?"

_THWANG!_

Jasper looked up to see a knife in the tree they had just been in front of.

"Oh." He frowned, wondering how she'd seen in coming so quickly...

But Alice was already on her feet, dragging him up.

"What, do you have a death wish?"

"Huh?" he responded cleverly. His brain still hadn't caught up.

She shook her head again, annoyed, and closed her eyes for a split second. She turned left suddenly.

"C'mon. If we got this way they won't find us."

"How do you kn -" Jasper stopped, shaking his head. "Never mind."

**Hope that was good and made sense. I couldn't think of a good way to end it, so it's kinda lame, but oh well :P**

**And now I need your help: do I keep the story in third person, or do you want more detail and a first person POV? And whose POV would you prefer?  
Reviews are the ultimate birthday gift,  
love,,**

**Natalie**


	3. You Probably Should've Known

**Sorry for not updating in...a month. I had my birthday (and thanks to those people that said hbd), got together with friends...and got sick :(. So yeah.  
I know this chapter is pree short, and kind of non-monumental...but I liked the ending so much, I just HAD to leave it there. But that means I'll be updating sooner.  
Thanks to EVERYONE that reviewed, this story and my other one, and sorry I didn't respond to you all. But, I promise to respond from now on. I love you all!  
I'm going to try to make myself update at least once or twice every two weeks, and this story will only have about 10 chapters, so.... yeah :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Cullens, vampires, or a little yellow house. But I DO own the below song, so, I SWEAR TO GOD, if anyone steals it, I will kill Jasper in this story, make Alice turn into a witch and give Bella terminal cancer and die.**

**You'd tease me and I'd always smile  
'Cause every word would drive me wild  
But you don't know what it's like to be so desperate...**

**I'd shudder when I'd feel you near  
When you'd whisper nothings in my ear  
But you don't know what it's like to have to feel**

**You Probably Should've Known - My Band.**

Alice pulled Jasper along behind her until they were out of the forest and on to a desolate country highway with few houses.

"Okay, we can stop now."

Jasper looked at her incredulously. "Aren't…you…tired?" he gasped out.

She cocked her head at him with a little frown. "It was only a little run," she said.

"Little…run!" his eyes widened as he bent down, placing his hands on his knees to catch him breath. "Little…run!" he repeated.

She looked at him worriedly, wondering if he was about to pass out. Then her gaze turned frustrated as she took it all in. "Ugh. Look at you! Didn't I _tell_ you not to go to the fight? Jesus, do you listen to _anybody_?" She sighed angrily, holding out her hand expectantly. "Let me see your arm."

Jasper looked up, his hands still on his knees, at the quaint girl. He straightened and held out his arm.

She took at and examined it closely, her fingers trailing softly over his skin. Her fingers were cold, and their light touch sent thrills through his body, making his body stiffen. She paused, and then ran her fingers up and down his arm, causing him to close his eyes and shiver. She looked up at him, and he noticed a smirk on her fine feminine features. She met his eyes and quickly looked back down at his arm.

"You teasin' me?"

She giggled as an accent slipped through.

She lifted up the sleeve of his t-shirt, and he heard her sharp intake of air.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." She ground out.

He looked at her face, and she was frozen like stone, her jaw clenched and her eyes – a dark, haunting black – wild. He looked down at his shoulder.

"Oh, that," he said. "It's just a cut."

She glared up at him, her still crazy eyes now glinting with anger. "It is _not_ just a cut!" she spat out quickly before closing her mouth again. She closed her eyes and concentrated for a minute. "That's going to need stitches!" She chocked on the last word, as if out of air, and squeezed her eyes even tighter shut as she shook her head.

He stared at her in amazement, realizing something. "Have you _still_ not taken a breath since you saw my cut?"

Her eyes snapped open, and her face was still annoyed and frustrated, but it was joined by a new emotion. Was that…fear?

"Of course I have," she snapped, her eyes moving from his. "There's just…" she trailed off, before meeting his eyes again. "A lot of blood," she finished.

"That's it?"

"And I was…worried," she allowed. "It could get infected."

She took a deep breath and winced, her eyes closing again. When they opened they were even crazier than before.

"We need to get that wound cleaned."

"Alright, let's go to the hospital," he suggested, rolling his sleeve back down.

"No!"

He looked at her, taken aback.

"I…I, um, know someone that could stitch it up for you for free?" she ended her uncertain statement like a question.

"Fine with me," he agreed.

She sighed, and Jasper noticed that the tenseness in the air vanished. "Okay. Good. She lives just a little further down this street."

He nodded. "Alrigh'," he said, starting to walk forward.

She grabbed his hand and spun him around. "It's that way," she said, pointing with her other hand.

He tightened his grip on her hand as he felt it gliding away. "Lead the way."

She looked up at him and smiled, squeezing his hand as she began to walk.

He looked at her curiously. "So how did you find me, anyway?" he asked as they walked down the quiet street.

She looked up at him sheepishly. "I…kinda followed you," she confessed.

"And why on _earth_, pray tell, did you do that?"

"I…I just had a bad feeling. I didn't want you to get hurt…and I figured, maybe if I was there…"

"You'd punch their lights out?"

She grinned.

"Where'd you learn to punch like that, anyways?"

Her grin widened. "I didn't do _too_ much damage, did I?"

His jaw was tight, his lips pursed, and he refused to let her make light of it. "You could have been hurt."

Her features changed so quickly to anger that he had to work hard to remember if she was ever even smiling at all. "Oh, and what about you? You just about had yourself _killed_, Jasper! Jesus, men and their pride! I mean, fuck, you almost –"

"You swear a lot."

She was startled out of her rant, her mouth falling open with a comical _–pop!- _"Excuse me?"

He smirked at her. "You swear a lot."

"How – how….how rude!"

"You know, I think most people find swearing like a sailor rude, too."

She ranked her hand out of his.

He glanced down at their separated hands. "Now _that_ was just rude."

She glared at him and turned her head away. He began to shake and she looked at him again, worried, only to find that he was quivering with attempt to hold in his laughter. She snapped her head away from him again.

"It's not funny!" she said.

He stopped laughing. Was that - did he just hear - was she...crying? Did her voice just crack? His gut dropped. "I'm sorry. I'm being mean, aren't I?"

She looked up at him, a little smile on her face. He didn't see any tears, and that relieved him. She nodded.

He leaned down to her, as if to show his sincerity. "I'm sorry," he repeated. His whisper tickled her neck and she shuddered a bit.

"I was very…worried for you," she allowed.

His heart jumped a little bit. "Why?"

She met his eyes again, and he had the strange urge to stagger backwards as she caught his eye, staring intently. "Jasper," she said, voice low and intense. "You have _no_ idea how close you came to dying."

He looked at her confused. "Wha – "

She cut him off, turning away. "C'mon. We're here."

Jasper eyed the little yellow house – the first on the left side of the road - speculatively. Whose house did she say they were going to? It was a comfortable size, with a little wood fence surrounding the lot that bordered on the edge of the forest.

"C'mon," she repeated impatiently, grabbing his hand and dragging him up the little stone path. She stomped up to the door and knocked on the door twice.

Jasper looked curiously as the door opened, revealing –

"Betty?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Bella. Close enough. Come on in."


	4. In One Ear

**I am so sorry! It's been a year and a half, I know. You see, I had this chapter written up a year and a half ago, and then I lost it, spent a month looking for it, went to Spain for holiday, and then thought "Screw it." A recent review asking me where the hell I'd been (but in much nicer terms) inspired me to rewrite and post. I PROMISE I won't abandon this again, even if I will be occasionally late on my updates. But never more than a week, I promise.**

** Anyways, I recommend you re-read the first three chapters, since you've probably forgotten what's happened. XP**

** The next chapters are already written, so I'll type them up and have them posted probably by next week.**

** And a very special thanks to nekkie for inspiring me to continue this.**

** Enjoy!**

** -Natalie**

**P.S: This song doesn't **_**really**_** go with it, but it's really fucking awesome.**

Here's the moral to the story, we don't do it for the glory  
We don't do it for the money, we don't do it for the things  
So all the critics who despise us go ahead and criticize us  
It's your charity that drives us, adds the fire to our flames

In One Ear – Cage the Elephant

Bella ushered them in. She was glaring at Jasper disapprovingly.

"Didn't I tell you not to fight?"

Jasper shrugged. He had told her he would anyways.

Alice made her way without uncertainty towards the bathroom as Bella led Jasper to a couch.

"Sit down, sit down…are you hurt?"

Jasper wordlessly lifted his t-shirt sleeve, allowing her to see the angry red gash that was there. Bella gasped, putting a hand to her mouth comically.

"Well…oh my, I…try not to bleed on the coach, please! My dad would _kill _me."

Alice reentered the room carrying rubbing alcohol, thread, a towel, and a needle. She held them out to Bella.

Bella just stared at the offending items in Alice's hands. "I don't like where this is going…" she said.

"Bella, _please_. You're the only one who can do it."

"I _hate_ blood. I faint at the sight."

"Well I can't say handling blood is my forte," Alice said with a pointed stare.

"Why didn't you take him to a hospital?"

"Yes, well, don't think I would've handled _that_ particularly well."

Bella sighed.

"_Please_, Bella?"

She shuddered. "Fine."

Alice let out a deep sigh of relief. "Okay, you're going to need to disinfect the wound and the needle. Then, you're going to thread the needle and push it threw the skin just like if you were sewing on a badge or something."

Bella nodded, terrified.

"I'll be outside, but if you need me, just call. I'll hear you."

Jasper looked up at Alice. "You're not staying?"

"I can't, really. I'll be right outside, I promise."

She flitted out of the room, turning right and then out the little screen door.

Bella stood still for a moment, stunned, before picking up the needle. She poured the rubbing alcohol over the needle, looking apologetic as she turned to Jasper, wincing.

"I'm going to need to pour this over your wound. It may hurt a bit."

He nodded for her to continue.

With trembling fingers, she lifted the bottle and slowly poured the liquid over the puffed up flesh. Jasper flinched but stayed silent.

"So…" started Bella.

"So."

There was silence as Bella threaded the needle.

Jasper relented. "How do you know Alice?

"Well, she ran across me once, and we got to talking…"

"Is she staying with you while she's in town?"

"Sort of."

Jasper hissed as the needle pierced his skin.

"Sorry."

"Not your fault."

The needle pulled through the other side of his skin and he groaned. He could feel the thread as it moved slowly through his skin, and his stomach tightened.

Bella spoke again, softer now. Jasper did not know if it was as a distraction from his pain, or because she thought Jasper should know. Either way, he appreciated the gesture.

"Alice – well she doesn't really know who her family is."

Jasper pondered this information for a moment. "Was she adopted?"

"Something like that. She didn't get along with them too well, and now she's traveling up North, to find the place where she belongs."

"So…how long is she staying here?"

"Umm…I'm not sure. She wasn't going to stay long, but maybe now…"

She reached the end of the thread and tied the end in a know, grabbing the scissors and cutting off the end. "All done."

Alice opened the front door as Bella finished her sentence. "I owe you, Bella, I really do. Thank you."

"Now will you tell me about Ed –"

"Not now, Bels! I told you, it's all very blurry."

Bella sulked.

Alice turned around to face Jasper, beaming. He noticed that she looked much healthier now that he was stitched up. She was much less tense.

"I never noticed your eyes – they're amber."

Alice blinked once before answering smoothly, "They change in the light."

Bella cut in between them. "You should really get some rest, Jasper. If only for an hour. You can lie down on the coach."

"I think I might take you up on that, Bella."

Bella mock gasped. "You remembered my name!"

Laughing, Alice grabbed ahold of Bella's arm. "C'mon, we should leave the prince to get his beauty sleep." She winked at Jasper as she walked out the room. "We'll have plenty of time to tease him when he wakes up."

Jasper waited until the girls were out of sight before snuggling happily under the blanket. He rested his head and felt the exhaustion weigh down on him as the last ounce of adrenaline left him. He was at the house of a girl he'd never talked to until today, after being rescued at girl he'd never met before today.

He wondered what his mother would think. _"Jasper, you charmer! Stop breaking all those hearts!" _or something ridiculous like that. Isn't that what all parents say? The good ones, at least.

He should probably call his mom, he realized. But as quickly as this thought entered his mind, it exited, since the content he felt from laying down was enough to prevent him from wanting to search for a phone now. He would call her when he woke.

His dream was about Brent. Not unusual, seeing as it had been on his mind the whole day. But the little pixie was also in his dreams, and the two of them together put a frown on his sleeping face.

The dream started with him looking on – almost as if he was watching a movie. Alice was walking down a dark alley, seemingly oblivious to the dangers it could hold. She was wearing a black long coat and a little hat, which made her look – well, if he was to be frank – adorable. But as he examined her closer, he noticed a slight furrow in her brow, and the way she was stiff, cocked like a cat when it was sleeping; always prepared to have to defend herself.

And then at the next corner she rounded, Brent stood, tall and imposing as always. Suddenly, Jasper was very much a part of the images he saw. He speed walked to where the two stood, surprised on their faces as they stood in front of each other.

Brent turned at the noise of his footsteps and noticed Jasper. His face lit up in a evil grin. "Whitlock."

Without warning, Brent grabbed Alice's arm and pulled her towards him, his free arm coming up over Alice's neck in a chokehold.

"One step closer and your little girlfriend gets it."

"Leave her out of it."

"I'd rather not leave it out of her…" His eyebrows raised.

Disgusted by not only the words but the joy that Brent seemed to get from his own crappy puns, Jasper let out an angry breath from between clenched teeth.

"Come on, you've had fun with her, haven't you, Whitlock? How does she scream out your name? 'Oh Jasper!'" he imitated Alice in a falsetto. "Ha! Well now she'll be moaning mine…and she'll like it!" The hand that was holding Alice around the waist dipped lower, and he unbuttoned her jeans.

Jasper growled. He was vaguely shocked with himself – was it even possible for a human to make such a sound? – but he didn't think about it…he was too preoccupied.

He charged towards Brent with a look of pure fury, but Brent just laughed, his eyes glinting.

Alice looked terrified. "Jasper, get out of here!"

Jasper looked down, puzzled. "Alice, I need to rescue you!"

She shook her head.

"I don't understand, do you want to be raped? Killed?"

"It's not safe. Go!"

"But I – "

At this point Brent's upper hand dipped down to Alice's breast as he opened his mouth to taunt Jasper.

And then Alice struck.

She looked majestic. A terrific beauty.

She twisted herself within Brent's arms, almost as if to get closer. Their positions were such of lovers. Her hands grasped his. She turned around and leaned into him, and Jasper noticed his eyes lose focus, droop a little, intoxicated. He envied him.

Holding Brent's hands, she crossed his arms, causing him to yelp out in pain. She twisted to standing behind him and dug her knee into him, and Brent yelled, his face a vision of terror.

She kept pulling, and twisting. Jasper couldn't move. He was rooted to the spot.

Brent cried, his voice hoarse from yelling. Jasper heard a nauseating pop. And then Alice cut him with something – Jasper didn't see what – and there was blood everywhere. She didn't stop with her torture.

She looked possessed. She was clearly enjoying it – he doubted anything could be said to stop her now. She was intoxicated herself, he realized. She was enjoying herself.

She looked up at Jasper. "You didn't listen. You should've left. I'm dangerous." She looked down, guilty. "I…I'm not sure if I can stop."

"You can."  
"I don't want to."

"I know."

Brent's cries had stopped, but Alice's ministrations hadn't.

She let out a tortured moan. "It feels so good."

"Bloodlust."  
She looked at him sharply. "Exactly."

"But you won't hurt me."

She closed her eyes. "No, no, I don't think I will."

He slowly raised his hand to hold out to her. She cast a glance at the outstretched hand and then raised her eyes to his. Keeping his gaze, she raised her bloodstained hand to meet his.

He took hers in, holding it softly, and placing both their hands on his shirt. They were crouched on the ground, Brent's dead body between them, Brent's blood now on Jasper's shirt.

It was beautiful.


	5. Pornostartrek

**Okay first of all, this one is longer. I've had it written up for a year now, and I couldn't bring myself to cut it off earlier. It's actually about twice as long as the last chapter.  
Secondly, please review. I got no reviews last time, which allowed since I left you guys waiting for so long. But I'm expecting some feedback this time! Even if it's just to say hi. :)  
I will try to have the next chapter up by the end of next weekend. I'm planning for around 12 chapters in total.  
Hope you enjoy!  
Nat.  
P.S: The following song is one of my favourites. If you don't know the band, look them up. This is one if their (much) softer songs. I've seen them twice, and that's still not nearly enough, so.**

_You make me feel like,_  
_ A shooting star_  
_ You make me feel like,_  
_ A porno star_  
_ You hold me closer still,_  
_ When I get paranoid_  
_ You give your hand to hold,_  
_ When I lose control_  
_ You're like my compass and_  
_ We always find our way_  
_ You bring your smile and wipe_  
_ Away my shitty day_

_Pornostartrek - Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker (USS)  
_

Jasper woke up, his heart racing, and quickly reassured himself that it had just been a dream. He lifted his head an saw the pale blue flowered fabric that covered Bella's coach. Warily, he looked out the window and saw that dim light was still fighting darkness, and guessed that it was either eight or nine in the evening.

Becoming more aware, he realized that he could hear the faint babble of talking. It was either Bella and Alice or the television, and after glancing at the T.V. in front of him and noting that it was off, he hazarded a guess that it was the former.

He swung his legs off the couch and put his hand to his head, feeling a bit headache-y. It was probably form that dream...and it had been so strange!

Yet, refusing to dwell on dreams, which surely had no meaning, he forced himself to stand and followed the sound of conversation. On his way up the stairs he realized that it sounded less like a conversation and more like an argument. They were inside the room to the right of the top of the stairs, and the door was half closed.

"What were you _planning_ to do about Jasper?"

Jasper froze. He had intended to open the door and inform the girls that he had woken, but now he was sure it wasn't good to go in. He hadn't _meant_ to eavesdrop, but now...he was town between opening the door and waiting to hear Alice's response. He had to admit that his heart was racing with anticipation of what she would say. He was ...intrigued by her.

"I don't know! I didn't have a _plan_! Anything!" There was a pause. "Not this," she said quietly.

His heart sank. She didn't like this? What was 'this"? Him staying at Bella's? Or her ever meeting him? He was frozen.

"What _could_ I do? Tell him?" she continued. _Tell me what? _he wanted to yell. "But now I've screwed things up and he'll suspect and..." she trailed off. "Oh, Bella, what am I to do?"

Bella's tone had softened. "So it _is_ him, then? The one you kept seeing?"

_The one she kept seeing? _he thought. _What the _FUCK _does that mean? _He needed to hear the answer. Just as he made the decision to stay outside and listen to where this was going, a little gasp come from inside the room.

There was a slight silence, and then Bella said in a hushed whisper, "Alice? What did you -" she stopped as though she'd been cut off, though Jasper hadn't heard anything. No sound came from the room for a few seconds, and then Jasper heard footsteps coming towards the door. He jumped back from the door and tried to look innocent.

Alice opened the door. "Jasper!" she exclaimed, looking surprised. "How did you sleep?"

"Well, thanks," he replied. "I _just_ woke up," he added to clarify.

Alice smiled politely at him, but he thought he could sense a smirk under the smile, a sense of knowledge under the innocence. Instantly Jasper panicked - had she heard him outside?

"You slept well?" Bella asked. "Well, that's good. I'm sure that couch isn't too comfortable, but I'm afraid I don't have any spare rooms," she said regretfully.

"You can sleep in mine tonight, Jasper," Alice said.

Jasper's heart lurched. "Oh?" he said politely, raising an eyebrow.

Alice looked embarrassed. "I mean, since I can share with Bella..." she trailed off, looking slightly mortified.

"That's very sweet of you, Alice, but I couldn't take your room."

"Really, it's _fine_, Jasper. Bella and I like sharing a room."

"Like a sleep-over!" Bella put in.

"Exactly! So, I won't be using my room tonight, anyways. I'll be talking in Bella's."

"Ah. So I take it you won't be getting much sleep?" Jasper asked.

Alice looked as though something he had said amused her. "No. Probably not. Actually, I probably won't get any sleep at all."

Bella looked as though she wanted to laugh. As she caught Jasper's confused expression, she let out a snort.

"So you see, Jasper, there's not point in sleeping on the couch when there's going to be a perfectly good empty bed, is there?" Alice asked triumphantly.

"Fine," Jasper relented. "Thanks." He turned to Bella. "You too, you've been _wonderful_." He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. She blushed furiously.

"Would you care for a drink or anything, Jasper?" Bella asked, still bright red.

He looked out the hall window and saw that the darkness had prevailed against the light.

"No, thank you. Actually, it's probably about time for me to get back to bed. I'm exhausted. Thanks for everything." Wickedly, he kissed her on the cheek again, enjoying how flustered she became. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she responded. "You - you can sleep in that room just on the left...right there. Alice and I will be in here," she gestured at the room they had come out from. "Just knock if you need anything."

"Sure. Thanks, Bella."

"No problem." She turned to go into her room.

"Oh, and, Bella?"

She turned to him expectantly. "Yes?"

"I just wondered - what will your parents say when they see some boy that they've never met before, sleeping in their house?"

"It's just my dad. Chief Sawn. And he's got patrol all night, so he won't know."

Jasper grinned. "Ah. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." She walked into her room and closed the door.

Jasper turned to Alice. "Thank-"

Alice put a finger to his lips. "You've said that word five times in the last minute. Calm yourself."

"You saved me."

She frowned. "That was really dumb, you know. You _knew_ he wouldn't fight fair."

"I couldn't walk away. He would've come to get me."

"Now he'll want revenge. He'll come to get you again."

She sounded so sure. Jasper looked at her, and he could feel the anxiety coming from her. She was worried about him. She thought made brightened him.

"Maybe," he said lightly. "I'll be careful."

"You better."

He smiled, and she smiled back.

"Goodnight, Alice," he said.

"'Night."

He leant down to kiss her cheek, like he had with Bella, and had the strong urge to kiss her lips instead. She tilted her head up and he almost did.

But not, That would be wrong. He had just met her. He'd fuck up their friendship. It wasn't worth it.

He kissed her cheek, but the right corner of his lips touched the left corner of hers. He felt her soft kiss and was astounded by the gentleness of the moment. Her arms came up around his neck and his arms went around her waist. It was the first time he'd wanted to call it an embrace rather than a hug.

"Goodnight," he whispered, and he could feel his breath as it reflected off her face.

She shuddered delicately. "Sweet dreams."

She went over to Bella's room and closed the door.

Leaving Jasper there, his heart racing , feeling as though he'd just been hit by a truck.

* * *

Jasper woke up, drenched in sweat, from another dream about Alice.

This time, however, it did not involve her beating the shit out of Brent like a femme fatale.

It _did_ involve a lace lingerie number that did wonders for him.

He kicked off the covers on Bella's bed and sat up. He looked around for a clock and found on the dresser in front of him, the red numbers reading 3:13 AM.

He tried to lie back down and get some more sleep, but every time he closed his eyes the vision of Alice bending down, with lace fluttering around her neck, faded on his eyelids. Knowing that he certainly couldn't sleep like this, and that relieving himself in Bella's _house_ was about ten different types of rude, he decided that the best thing to do was to get a cold glass of water to calm himself down.

He sat up restlessly and pushed himself off the bed. Quietly, he crept out of his room and down the stairs, hoping he wouldn't wake Bella or Alice.

To his surprise, when he walked past the living room to get into the kitchen, he saw Alice, sitting in the semi-darkness with her eyes closed and her hand moving over paper.

"Alice?" he asked quietly, wondering if she was nodding off.

Her eyes snapped open. "Jasper? What are you doing here?"

He frowned. She seemed...upset over something. She was worried, stressed.

He walked over to her and turned on the little table lamp so as to see her better, before sitting in the armchair next to hers. He smiled at her in what he hoped was a calming manner. "I was getting a glass of water. I couldn't sleep."

Most of her tension seemed to melt away as she smirked at him. "Tell me about it."

"Would you like a glass of water, or something?"

She smiled warmly at him, her fine-featured face shinning. Jasper pushed all images of her in flimsy lace material from his head. "No thank you, I'm fine."

He glanced at the piece of paper on her lap. "May I ask what you're working on?"

"Oh, this?" she held up the drawing. "It's nothing much...you can come see it if you want."

Jasper got out of his armchair and walked over to stand beside hers.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she said fondly.

Jasper silently agreed. The sketch was of a magnificent house, with elegant architectural and beautiful glass windows. Not to mention it was freaking _huge_.

"I kept having vi-vivid dreams about it, and I thought it was so striking that I needed to sketch it," Alice explained, with strong endearment in her voice.

"You're a wonderful artist."

She smiled brightly at him. "Thank you."

Still bent down over her shoulder, Jasper suddenly noticed how delicious Alice smelt. He noticed her fineness, the fullness of her lips, her long, pale neck that he'd like to nip and suck, the roundness of her breasts...He wanted her. He wanted her to want him. He wanted to pick her up, shove her against the wall and fuck her, he wanted -

"Jasper?"

He looked down at her, sure that his aqua-blue eyes were shooting sparks. She met his eyes as he started lustfully down at him, and he felt immense satisfaction when he noted that her eyes were half lidded and her lips were parted. He leaned in slightly and her body twisted in the armchair.

- _Don't do it!_

_I want to do it!_

_ - She'll run away. You only met her today._

_ It's 3:00 AM! So I met her yesterday. Haha, take that!_

And with that strong conviction, Jasper leaned down and pressed his lips lightly to hers.

He pulled his head back slightly and studied her reaction. Her eyelids fluttered open and she stared at him with clear want.

"I'm quite sorry, I know it wasn't appropriate - "

"Do it again."

Jasper happily obliged. This time he placed his hand on her cheek, and sucked on her lip a bit. When he licked her lips she moaned quietly and he decided to take the opportunity to slip his tongue in.

Before he had the chance, Alice pushed him away. He felt an immediate loss. He pulled back and glanced at her, wondering if he had made a mistake. Alice's eyes were shut, her chest was heaving, and her hands had a death grip on the armchair. His heart raced as he realized that she must want him as much as he wanted her.

"Jazz..." she moaned out, and he felt his dick stiffen at the sound. Oh, this _totally_ wasn't helping his "problem".

She opened her eyes and stared at his, and it was all he could do no to take her there.

_- Stop thinking with your dick_

Sighing, Jasper straightened and smiled at Alice. "We'd better get back to bed," he said, his accent apparent in his still husky voice.

Alice smirked and raised an eyebrow. Jasper laughed, regaining some of his self-conscienceless. "My my, Alice. Who would've known you have such a dirty mind?"

"That's me," she said, winking. "But actually, I think I'm just gonna stay here and finish up this drawing. I've been try to get it right for ages, and I think I've finally got it."

Jasper nodded. "My, sweetheart." He bent down and kissed her forehead. Reluctantly, he got up and turned away.

"How about we get that ice cream tomorrow?"

He whirled and she gave him her most flirtatious smile.

"Er - I guess later today," she tacked on thoughtfully.

Jasper tried to contain his beaming smile. "Tha' sounds wonderful." And with this, Jasper left the room, walked into the kitchen, and chugged a full bottle of cold water.


	6. Te Necesito

**Sorry for taking a week extra! I only have internet at my Dad's house so I just got the chance now.**  
**Now I need your help: Please review at what angle you think I should take for the next chapter -you'll understand when you get there. I think I know what I want, but I want to see your ideas...**  
**Also, for clarification: the start of a vision and the end of a vision are marked by five asterix (*****).**  
**Hope you enjoy!**  
**Also, the following song was recommended to me by a gay Spanish friend (it's actually a long, love triangle-ly story, if you want to hear about it). It's rather good and describes my feelings exactly. If you'd like to know what it means, or if you want a link, review and ask.**

_Como quieres que me aclare_  
_Oh, ohhh...amor_  
_Como quieres que te olvice_  
_Te necesito_  
_Como a la luz del sol_  
_Tus ojos el abismo_  
_Donde muere mi razon_

_Amaral - Te Necesito  
_

Jasper awoke with a sinking feeling in his stomach. As though he'd forgotten something.

"Jasper, I know you're awake!" Alice called in her singsong voice. She barged into the room, letting in the discomforting light. "If you don't call your mom within the next five minutes to tell her that you haven't been killed, she's going to call the F.B.I," she grimaced, "And you won't be allowed out of the house until you're 25."

"Damn it. Can you get me a phone?"

From behind her back she pulled out a hand held phone. "Two steps ahead of you," she said, and winked.

He took the phone from her a dialed his mother's number. Every second before the ringing began filled his chest with a horrible anticipation.

His mother answered on the first ring.

"Jasper?"

He sighed heavily. She sounded petrified. "Yeah, Ma, it's me."

There was a silence in which the only sound he could hear was his heartbeat, and then the tirade began.

"Jasper Andrew Whitlock! Do you know how worried I was? You failed to come home from school, and I stay up all night hoping you would show up, I call _all_ your friends' parents, and all they can tell me is that you've skipped town to hang around with a hooligan from a rival school! Do you know how worried you've had me? I thought you'd left forever, gotten your throat slit and been dumped in a ditch..."

"Ma?"

"Just one minute, Jasper Whitlock, you've had me worried sick, waiting right by the door until the cows came home, and now you're going to see 'haha, sorry Ma! Got carried away with the boys!'"

"Mother."

"And now I've got to call Chief Swan back and tell the poor fella 'Oh, whoooops! False alarm, sir! My boy was just out having fun and lost track of time! _Boys will be boys!_'"

"Ma!"

There was silence; Jasper took this as his cue to continue. "Ma, I'm sorry. Okay? Some guy, Brent, tried to start a fight with me."

"Jesus, Joseph, and Mary! Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. But by the time that confrontation was over, I was exhausted – sore, too. So I went over to a friend's house to have a quick nap on the couch, and I - I kinda slept right through the night. They didn't wanna wake me, 'cause I was dead on my feet."

The only reason he knew his mom was still there was because he could her taking deep, calming breaths.

"I'm real sorry. I meant to call – I really did."

"Whose house? I called Jared's and you weren't there," she asked, her voice accusing.

"Uh...Isabella Swan. I was at her house."

"Charlie Swan's daughter?"

"Yeah. She, uh, saw I was hurt and she offered her help."

There was silence for a while.

"I'm still mad at you, Jasper. I want you home immediately."

He grinned. "Yes, Ma."

"And you tell that Isabella Swan that I'm much obliged to her for looking after my boy."

"Yes'm. 'Bye, Ma."

"I expect you home in 10 minutes, Mister!"

Jasper laughed as he ended the called.

"Sometime amusing?" Alice asked, cocking an eyebrow. She looked more relieved than disapproving.

"She isn't angry. She'll use it as leverage for me to do stuff for her for maybe a couple o' months, but she won't ground me."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't want you to have to sneak out in order to make our ice cream date."

Jasper was startled for a moment. With all this morning excitement, he had forgotten about the ice cream date. It seemed surreal...had he really kissed those lips last night?

"And what time is said ice cream date?" he drawled, clearly amused.

"Oh, I don't know...seven?"

"Yes ma'am. I'll be there at precisely nineteen hundred hours," he said, giving a quick salute.

Alice giggled. "I'm looking forward to it." She paused as he stood there. "You probably should leave."

"Yes."

He lingered.

She rolled her eyes. "You'll see me in ten hours! Go on, before you mom _does _ground you."

He grinned. "Mmkay. See ya, sweetheart."

"'Bye, Jasper!"

Alice grinned as he sprinted down the stairs, yelling "Thank you Bella! My mom loves you forever! I owe you!"

She grabbed the phone to replace in its cradle, and went to go sit down and continue the drawing of the house in which one day, she, Jasper, and Bella would live. If her plan worked...

* * *

"So you kissed?"

Alice sighed, exasperated. "Yes, we kissed."

"This is so unfair! You can kiss Jasper, but I can't even _look_ for Edward?"

Alice grimaced. "Bella, we've been over this. I don't know where he is – where any of the Cullens are, for that matter! I'm trying to figure it out. Look; I've finished their house!" She held up the drawing helpfully.

Bella cast a disdainful look at the drawing. "And what, you're just going to search all of North America until you find a house matching this description."

"If I have to, yes. And I think I can rule out Mexico."

Bella scoffed.

"Bella, this is a huge break! They're in a coniferous forest, so I know they're up North, and it's almost always cloudy! That narrows it down to Washington...or British Columbia, or maybe Southern Alaska...but on the West Coast, for sure!"

Bella sighed, giving in. "I know. I'm just jealous! You get to go out on a date with your Jasper Whitlock, and meanwhile poor Edward is out there, all alone, being preyed upon by teenyboppers and MILFs alike!"

"Bella, first of all, I will track down Edward and the rest of the Cullens. Secondly, he's not _my_ Jasper. I can't just take him with me or turn him and take him away from my family anymore than I can steal away from Charlie and Renée."

"But Ali, I wannnnt - "

"I know. But I can't." Suddenly she grinned. "I'll let Edward deal with that."

Alice was chagrined, and although she looked as though she wanted to argue, she changed the subject.

"So, what are you going to wear?"

"Oh _God_, I hadn't thought of that!"

Bella was astounded. "Alice! You're always so on top of your clothing situation!"

"I _know_! God, he has me quite muddled!"

"Shall we get you ready, then? You're due out in..." she glanced at the clock on the wall, "one hour."

"I let you sleep in _that_ long?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "You were drawing for about five hours. You were in a trance! I didn't want to distract you!"

Alice pondered. "Hmm...give me five minutes," she said, suddenly dashing upstairs to Bella's room. She came down scarcely thirty seconds later. "Do you still want these?" she said, holding up a pair of too small tattered jeans and an old red tee shirt.

"I guess not...why?"

"I have an idea," she said, eyes shinning. "Do you mind if I cut them up?"

Bella put her hands up, resigned. "Hey, you're the fashion fanatic. Do whatever you need to."

Alice laughed, delighted. "Excellent. _Now _I'll be back in five minutes." She ran back upstairs, presumably to get some needles, thread, and scissors. Bella hoped they weren't still covered in Jasper's blood.

As she waited, Bella contemplated. The whole Jasper thing was...great - it really was! -...for Alice, at least. The fact was, Bella just wanted to meet the boy she was going to be _so_ in love with. He must really be something. How she wished she could see what Alice saw. Having only Alice's descriptions was so unfulfilling! Alice had said that he was beautiful, like all vampires tended to be - having seen Alice, Bella had no doubt - but _how_ beautiful? Beautiful like Brad Pitt, who everyone knew was traditionally beautiful, but wasn't really her type? …Or beautiful like Tom Cruise in _Interview with the Vampire_, who, despite all the odds, was beautiful in a non-classical, abnormal way…. different, striking, _sexy_?

All Alice had told her was that he had amber eyes – like Alice's – and coppery brown hair. Bella hadn't been sure – she didn't usually go for gingers – but Alice had laughed her bell laugh and said, "it's not like _that_.".

Still…would she really love him? Could he really love her? Would she actually be willing to give up her future, her family, her _life_ for him?

On that note…would Jasper? Yes, Alice had "seen" it…but would Alice even allow it? Although Alice adamantly declared that she had just met him, she'd been seeing him for years. That warranted attachment. Beside, she was clearly in love with him.

Alice cleared her throat from upstairs. "Are you ready, Bels?"

Bella rolled her eyes, but was secretly excited. "Let's see it."

Alice giggled and appeared at the top of the stairs, clearly enjoying being the centre of attention.

Bella gasped.

She had made _that_ out of her old clothes? In – Bella checked her clock – less than five minutes? She had turned the tattered jeans and faded shirt into a beautiful dress – the jeans were unsewn and then pleated, and the shirt was attached at the waist in a delightful zigzag pattern. She had even used leftover fabric from the jeans to create a choker and a headband.

Alice laughed at her expression. "Cute, isn't it?" she said proudly.

"How…? Never mind. I won't even ask." She shook her head, awed and bemused.

"Hmm…methinks I need some makeup," Alice said, her mood much lighter now that her wardrobe had been selected.

"Alice! You're a vampire – you're naturally beautiful! You're a freaking goddess!"

"Not naturally…I do tend to use mascara…from time to time," she admitted. "And lipstick," she tacked on as an afterthought, pulling some out of her purse – wait, was that a new purse? _Made from scrap jean material?_

"Well, okay," Bella said. She cast a glance at the clock once more. "You're down to half an hour now, you know."

"I have t his under control," Alice said, sounding as though she was reassuring herself. Bella had never seen her so flustered.

"Why don't you leave now?" Bella suggested.

"Because at my normal speed, I'd get there in two minutes. And I doubt, in my current state, that I'd be able to control myself to my human speed."

So they waited.

And waited.

For about three minutes, before Alice stood up sharply and said, "Fuck it, I'm going now." She rushed to the hall and flung open the door.

"Take a coat – it's cold out tonight!"

"Is it? I hadn't noticed. For the first time in seventy years I feel unbearably warm." She took a step out the door and disappeared into the nights, her speed combined with the darkness making it look like a magic trick.

"Don't be home later than nine! Charlie's home tonight!" Bella called after her.

The only sign showing that Alice had heard was the sound of her tinkling laugh, echoing in then light.

* * *

As Alice had predicted, she was twenty minutes early. A quick glance into the future showed that Jasper would be ten minutes late, due to his mother's fretting over him. _"Don't be home late, Jasper! I've already had one sleepless night this week!"_

With nothing to do but sit on the bench across from the ice cream parlor [although it was good practice, she didn't want to submit herself to the pulsing, delicious warmth of the humans grouped around the store], Alice busied herself by looking into the future.

_ Daybreak rose over them. The smell of him intoxicated her. He shuffled in his sleep and stirred._

_ "Ali?"_

_ He opened an eyelid, his face brightening as he saw her beaming at him. He smiled, the corners of his mouth finding place in the recently increasing creases on his face. "Alice, my darling."_

_ She kissed the tip of his nose and wound her smooth, pale hand into his tan, worn and withered one. She didn't see – she didn't care – but it didn't escape his notice. He frowned. "Why aren't you disgusted? You should be repulsed, but you're perfectly at ease."_

_He said it perfectly sure of himself. Alice had learned at the beginning of their relationship – thirty years ago, now – that he could almost _sense_ her feelings. He would be a gifted vampire, of that she was certain._

_ "Because you're beautiful. Wonderful. I don't need to look at your skin to determine my love, it's your soul." She looked closer. "And your eyes…"_

_ "Well, you might not be disgusted, but _they _are. They think I'm a dirty old man, a pedophile, sleeping with a girl half my age."_

_ "So? Do you think I care what they think?" she challenged, raising an eyebrow._

_ "I hadn't finished. They also think you're a gold-digger – a selfish whore. That's what enrages me."_

_ "It doesn't matter – not to me. I have you."_

_ "Change me. My mother passed away a month ago, you have that excuse no longer! I have no family. You won't be taking me away from _anything_."_

_ She deliberated. "Maybe – maybe in a year, Jazz. After the school year is over with. A disappearance in the middle of the school year would cause a serious investigation – and the kids would need a sub, and be so uprooted…"_

_ He sighed. "Why couldn't you have changed me at the beginning?"_

_ The sun was setting outside on the patio._

_ "Darling?" Jasper opened the glass door of the hotel._

"_It's beautiful, isn't it?" She gestured towards the ocean view. "A good use of the money earned from the races, if I do say so myself."_

_ Jasper would have none of it. "Alice. You're worried. Why?"_

_ " It's been two years, and I still haven't found them! And meanwhile, Bella is growing older, cursing my name all the while!"_

_ "Alice, she was two years younger than me, so now she's about my age. She's hardly old. And we'll find them, I'm sure.. We're so close, I know it."_

_ "Well, _ I _don't. And _I'm_ the fortune teller."_

_ There was silence as the sun sank._

_ "Alice, you must permit me. I am not a mind reader. Why do you feel all this guilt?"_

_ "I'd just…forgotten. Has it really been two years? Two years that I've stolen already from your life? You'd be twenty-one now."_

_ "There's hardly a difference between nineteen and twenty-one."_

_ "And your mother, Jasper? Who will never see her son grow old with his children."_

_ Jasper wasn't phased. For the first year, his guilt for leaving his mother had been overwhelming. It often spilt on to Alice and those around them, although he tried hard to restrain it. He locked gazes with Alice, and she felt a spark of desire build inside her._

_ "It's not my mother I'm thinking of," he said, voice dripping with want._

_ Alice squirmed under his power. "Then who?" she asked coyly. _

_ He leaned forward. "Guess."_

_ His hand moved on to her waist as he lowered his lips to hers, choosing that moment to send a shooting spark of lust to her. She moaned._

"Alice?"

She opened her eyes to meet Jasper's. He looked at her uncomfortably – Alice cursed the fact that even as a human, Jasper could uncannily predict her current state of emotion.

"Hello, Jazz."

Although taken aback by her familiarity, he did not question it. "I'm extremely regretful for my tardiness. My mother – "

Alice cut him off. "I understand. Shall we get out ice cream?"

"Lets."

He walked in front of her; unfortunately into a gust of wind, which blew his scent back to her. She caught a fleeting vision of her sinking her teeth into his neck –

She shook her head violently and followed behind him, not without an extreme level of effort. They crossed the street and sat down at an outdoor table.

"What would you like?" he asked, apparently determined to be the perfect gentleman.

She grimaced despite herself. "A small scoop, I suppose. Vanilla."

"Alice, at least get a medium. For God's sake, you're a twig!"

She smiled, but stood her ground. "Really. I just ate. I can't."

Jasper made eye contact with a waiter, who hurried over to take their orders. A chauvinist to his core, he insisted upon paying for both desserts.

"So, Alice – have you decided how long you'll be in town?" Jasper asked.

"Honestly, no. There's just so much going on…"

He reached out his hand to grasp hers, soothing her. "I hope you can get things sorted out, then."

"Me too."

The server brought the ice cream then, and Jasper withdrew his hand. He passed Alice's ice cream to her and then took his. "Peanut butter fudge," he said. "A weakness of mine."

"I believe I'm partial to strawberry cheesecake. Only, they didn't have any."

He wrinkled his nose. "Really? I've never been much of a cheesecake fan. Only on occasion."

She gasped. "Is that even possible?" she said in an offended tone, although clearly amused.

He dug into his ice cream and Alice took that as a cue for her to do the same. She took a teeny spoonful of the frozen delicacy and felt it slip coolly down her throat. It wasn't painful or bothersome, just uncomfortable.

He locked eyes with her and she had a sudden thought – although the idea should be forbidden to her, she thought it anyways – '_What a shame: when he's changed he'll no longer have these piercing, aqua eyes!'_

In the middle of the romantic moment, her eyes suddenly lost focus.

_Alice, I feel like there's something you're keeping from me. You don't want to, I know, I _feel_ it, but you are. What? What's so bad you can't tell me?"_

_ They were sitting at the ice cream table still, thought time had evidently passed – the humans who had surrounded the tables around them had all gone home._

_ No one to hear her reply. The perfect opportunity to tell him._

_ "Hey, fucker!"_

_ The enraged cry caused both of their heads to turn, and the crier was none other than Brent._

_ Jasper rose from his seat, stepping in front of Alice as protection._

_ "Out on a date?"_

_Jasper thought about it. Feeling smug, he replied, "Yes. I am."_

_ "With the girl who isn't your girlfriend?"_

_ Jasper changed the subject. "What are _you_ doing here, Brent? Looking for a rematch? You've been wasting your day hoping to run into me?" he goaded._

_ Brent grinned, and it was unnerving. He looked so sure of himself, so unconcerned, like a homicidal maniac. Of the insane variety. "Actually, Whitlock, I just left a friends house. Had to pick something up."_

_ "What, Brent?" Jasper sneered. "A dolly?"_

_ "No. This," he said, and he pulled out a gun from under his coat, pointed it at Jasper's head and pulled the trigger._

"NO!"

Jasper looked frantic. "Alice? What's wrong?"

Before she could answer, she was interrupted.

"Hey, fucker!"


End file.
